Muppet King Arthur

[Drtooth]

I just picked up and finished reading King Arthur and it's non-stop laugh a minute pun filled Muppety cartoony goodness...nay... greatness. Great little references here and there, a little political humor (as I interpreted it), and all over just wacky Muppetness all over. And Rowlf seems to have a much bigger role than in previous comics.

And I really enjoyed the jump from Amy's Disney-esque style in Muppet Peter Pan to Dave's Looney Tunes style here. Can't wait to see the next artist who will take over the rest of the series.

Oh, and I'm also loving the new logo... I didn't even notice it until I had it in my hand, but the logo art has Floyd sitting on the letter M.

 

[frogboy4]

I just ordered the comic along with a block of Trade Paperbacks for the Muppets that I've been meaning to get. Can't wait.

I've also decided to only get one cover each in the regularly released comics and then collect the TPBs (not the hard cover) in an effort to cut expenses. That way I still show my support, but with moderation.

 

[dwmckim]

Even though i was not a big fan of the idea, so far i've been impressed with all the story adaptations so far (i know Robin Hood has mixed reactions among the fans but if you seperate the script from the poor art, the comic was very well written - it helps if you read it imagining the Muppets performing it onscreen and using those images as a replacement to what's on those pages). But King Arthur is the best so far. The Muppets are totally just using the story as a background to tell the wackiest jokes and gags and they come fast and furious! I'm really glad Dave's doing the art on this because the exaggerated cartoony style works pitch perfect with the tone the writers have set - a perfect complement! It's a treat picking out the various cameos and i LOVE LOVE LOVE Rowlf reprising his Jim Henson Hour role!

Though i do admit Sweetums in armor as drawn bears an interesting resemblance to Farscape's Ka D'Argo!

 

[Drtooth]

Well, writing aside, the artwork from Robin Hood, I won't say was bad (certainly not as messy as the Muppets take Manhattan comic adaption... the one with Purple Rowlf on the cover), just... it didn't know what it wanted to be. It's like it was trying to be Muppet/manga/middle ages/Roger Langridge Muppet/action style all at once, and didn't manage to be any of them, or all of them too much at once. I really think if the artist were able to practice his Muppets and had a lot more experience, he would have nailed it. Plus, the Medieval style came off as muddy and boring looking. I know what the guy was trying to do, but I don't think he quite accomplished what he wanted. Plus, only about half the characters turned out good. I think his Johnny and Sal was very good, and that one time he drew Clifford in a close up was alright... but it seemed that he wanted the same style of Gonzo and Kermit that was in Langridge's comic. And that's where I think things fell apart a little.

As for the writing, I think the problem is explained well in the 4th issue... there's just TOOO much legend of Robin Hood to fit in 4 issues, and the writing tried to cram WAAAY too much into them. Compare it with, say... Peter Pan... things in that comic were either shortened or omitted entirely (no mermaids, the Indian segment was to be longer... and Swedish, and no Crocodile)... but it worked BECAUSE it didn't need any of them to tell the story. The comic was just as good without them, probably better... I didn't miss them because there was so much else to enjoy.

King Arthur really seems to take it the same way. The legend is clearly boiled down to parody, and that's what works the best. After all, the legends (there are more than one) of King Arthur all basically contradict each other (they seem to have nicely blended the Lady of the Lake AND the Sword in the Stone legends), and half the characters were invented for epic poetry and stories... Lance-a-lot wasn't even an original knight. He was added in by a French writer. And as such, a story that isn't even consistent to any one version, adaptation makes the thing work all the better.

 

[Aaron Sparrow]

Just waiting to get final Disney approval on this one and we will be off to the printer! We're moving up the schedule as best we can to bring the book back on track and have the last issue ship in the correct month!

If you loved the comedy in the first one, the second one is really going to have you in stitches...and Silvani's artistic debut is nothing short of amazing.

-A

 

[minor muppetz]

Just waiting to get final Disney approval on this one and we will be off to the printer! We're moving up the schedule as best we can to bring the book back on track and have the last issue ship in the correct month!

If you loved the comedy in the first one, the second one is really going to have you in stitches...and Silvani's artistic debut is nothing short of amazing.

-A

I read that in this comic Rowlf plays Merlin, a role he played a few times on the short-lived Jim Henson Hour. Do you happen to know whether the person who made that casting decision (I assume it was the writer) was aware of this or if the casting was just a coincidence?

 

[Aaron Sparrow]

I read that in this comic Rowlf plays Merlin, a role he played a few times on the short-lived Jim Henson Hour. Do you happen to know whether the person who made that casting decision (I assume it was the writer) was aware of this or if the casting was just a coincidence?

It was completely intentional! Paul and Patrick both are huge Muppet afficianados, so you'll see a lot of familiar bits weaving it's way through the series!

-A

 

[Drtooth]

And I am LOVING that little reference to a certain OTHER King Arthur legend at the end. Not saying what, though... you guys gotta read it.

 

[dwmckim]

And I am LOVING that little reference to a certain OTHER King Arthur legend at the end. Not saying what, though... you guys gotta read it.

I caught that too and my jaw hit the floor wondering if that was a coincidence i was reading too much into or if it was a really sly jab...in an officially liscensed Disney book even!

This is so cool to have not only talented people but total Muppet fanatics working on all these books! It makes such an amazing difference.

 

[Aaron Sparrow]

Well, MUPPET KING ARTHUR #2 is off to the printer, so it will be in stores February 24th!

-A